The Cantonica Job
by GeneralSyndulla
Summary: Poe sends Finn and Rose to find an old friend on Cantonica. What they find is more than they bargained for. alt version of how Canto Bight could have gone. T rating for now.
1. Chapter 1

Note:

So, like many fans I know, I was less than pleased with the Canto Bight plot line in TLJ. I love Rose and Finn, I love how they grew, but I hated how the sequence played out. Instead of talking about it I figured I may as well take a stab at writing an alternate version. Posting more soon. Hope you like it.

CHAPTER 1

"Ok, I get it." Poe looked past the holo at Rose. "And you can shut it down?"

"I know I can do it. Just get me there."

"Great, we just need to sneak on board, we have a few of their codes-"

Finn shook his head "They won't work. The First Order resets and encrypts their codes every hour."

The trio fell silent. BB-8 rolled across the room to Poe, pausing at his feet as if to comfort him. Poe looked up. "What we need is a code breaker."

"Got anyone in mind?" Finn asked. Maz Konata's castle on Takodana was full of colorful characters and Finn nearly left with a few smugglers but couldn't think of any way to reach out to a network like that now.

Poe nodded but cringed, as if regretting his answer already. "Yeah." He paused and walked over to General Organa's bedside. He looked down at her. She was more than a general to him. She was truely royalty in his eyes and gave him the support he could only compare to his own mother. Both such strong, valiant women. He didn't want to let her down, or to have this be her end. He gently placed his hand over hers.

"Yeah, I know a guy."

He walked back over to the holo and typed in coordinates. The image of a planet rushed into view.

"He'll be on Cantonica, usually in Canto Bight working on a new mark." The map rotated and zoomed into an opulent city. Despite the rest of the planet being dessert the city was coastal. High cliffs dropped to a low, seaside city. A waterfall even dropped into the sea to the far side of the city. It could not be more separate from the rest of the planet in radiance and color. Finn looked away from the holo and over at Rose, her eyes now darkened and a look of displeasure evandant across her face.

"What's his name?" Finn asked, looking back at the holo as it zoomed in on the casino at the heart of the city.

Poe shook his head. "No one knows his name. He goes by his self proclaimed title, the Master Code Breaker."

"Self proclaimed?" Rose asked. She looked up at Poe, eyebrow up and clearly already passed judgement on their subject. "If he proclaimed it himself can he really be all that good?"

"Yes." Poe nodded. "I thought he was full of it too until I met him."

Finn looked at him. "How did you meet this guy?"

"We crossed paths during one of my first missions for the Resistance. Luckily we both needed the same thing and I didn't have to worry about his usual price… WHICH-"

He noticed Rose's head shoot up at the mention of a price. They both knew the Resistance had a tight budget for weapons alone, much less paying off potential con men for favors, especially ones hanging out in a high stakes casino full of the richest of the rich in the galaxy.

"You shouldn't have to worry about."

"SHOULDN'T?!" Finn and Rose asked in unison, they looked at each other and back at Poe.

"He owes me. Give him this," Poe handed Finn a small gold coin. It was a bit tarnished from time but the symbols on it could still be seen. "He'll know what it means."

Finn looked at it closely. "Looks like the First Order insignia but… not quiet. Where is this from?"

"It's from the Republic, the old days of the Galactic Senate." Rose took the coin from Finn and examined it. "My mom had one of these. She knew it was worthless but she held on to it." Rose pocketed it. "So, when do we leave?"

Poe paused, "Wait, how did you two meet?" BB-8 chirped and looked between Finn and Rose.

Finn looked over at Rose, trying to hide his nerves. She seemed to be on board with everything but he still couldn't be sure…

"Luck," Rose said, looking over at Finn with a coy smile on her face.

Poe walked back over to Leia's bedside. "Good luck?"

"Not sure yet."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rose felt guilty sneaking around the Raddus, though they were more just trying to look nonchalant as they walked to the hanger. Everyone else was hurrying about at their own tasks, all carrying a shadow of concern and nerves. She breathed a sigh of relief knowing that everyone else was likely so caught up in their own worry that they likely would go unnoticed. Finn seemed to carry the same sentiment, although-

"So, how exactly are we going to go about sneaking off without Holdo knowing?" Finn asked, hoping either of them will have a solid answer. He felt more at ease around the various members of the Resistance, but outside of Poe he still could not completely let his guard down or know who he could trust. He looked over at Rose. She still had her gaze focused ahead of her, resilient in her choice but her nerves were still evident in her pace. Without turning her head she responded.

"We're going to use a rehabbed transport pod. I can keep the engine flux below sensor thresholds for our departure."

"Right… "

She looked up at Finn, mildly irritated, but she explained, "We'll slip out before anyone on the bridge notices. We shouldn't even show up on their radar."

"And if we still get detected?"

"Leave that to me," Poe responded, using his codes to open the side hanger access door. "I've still got a few people on my side in there." They slipped into the hanger, Finn and Rose avoiding eye contact with various pilots and engineers hurrying about the various transports and X-wings.

To Finn the walk across the hanger took forever but he knew that was in his head. He couldn't help but remember his final hours with the First Order. Phasma had it out for anyone that stepped out of line or ever twitched at the wrong second, but even among his regiment, once he was assigned one, he couldn't read any of them. They all had to act as if the main operative of the First Order was their own but he knew for him it had always been an act, a job, something to do to get by. Finally, they made it to the transport.

Poe boarded with them, standing back to let Rose prep her craft. BB8 rolled up behind them and Poe gave him the droid the communications link up. "Use this as soon as you're back in our system. I'll try to stall whatever Holdo's plan is, if there even is one yet." Poe runs his hand through his hair. Finn watched him, the man who always had a plan or made one up so seamlessly on the fly look for the first time he's known him look lost. He hadn't known him too long, he'd been unconscious for part of that time, but Poe had always given off an air of control, chaotic at times but chaos with direction.

Rose gave Finn a few orders, pausing to give him a reassuring smile. Despite their rocky introduction she knew they were in this together and for now that would be enough. While he had wanted to flee, she knew he had his reasons, he had his person to hold on to that would bring him back to the rebellion with her. She paused a moment, thinking of her sister and took a deep breath. Now was not the time for grief, not yet. Not until they finished this.

"The Master Code breaker liked to show off, so you'll likely see him at one of the high stakes tables. He'll be as dressed up as everyone else there. He usually wears white tailed suit coats and I'll be shocked if he's not wearing his lucky red palm bloom on his label." Rose nodded, again Finn could sense her distaste for this man already. Something was triggering this response from her but he couldn't make it out.

"In case for some reason he's not as decked out as he usually is, He's got black hair with a white streak and a thin mustache."

"Sounds like quite the character," Rose said with a bit of salt in her tone.

"Yeah, he's a bit eccentric," Poe stood, done leaving BB-8 with the necessary coordinates and encryptions. "But, he's got a good heart, when he chooses to show it. Don't hesitate to tell him that I remember that, _and_ that if he helps us, I'll owe him one."

Once preparations finished they took a moment, letting the silence hang in the air. Rose broke the moment, moving forward, towards Poe. "We should get moving then. Thank you." She shook his hand and looked him in the eyes, just a moment longer than Poe would have expected. He swore he could see fresh tears welling up in her eyes but she blinked them back before letting go and heading to the pilot seat. Finn and Poe approached each other, "We won't let you down- I won't let you down." They hugged tight. Neither would admit to the uncertainty of whether they would meet again.

Poe turned and walked through the doorway, but before he could let the door close he turned around. "Hey, Finn."

"Bring my droid back in one piece."


End file.
